Pressure accumulator

Abstract

A pressure accumulator includes a housing having a housing cavity, a piston axially displaceable in the housing cavity between a first final position and a second final position and having a pressure surface which together with a wall of the housing cavity delimits at least partially a reservoir connectable to an ICE consumer in a fluid-conveying manner, an energy store cooperating with the piston, the piston being displaceable against the force of the energy store from the first final position into the second final position in that the reservoir is acted on by pressure using a pressure medium, and a locking device for locking the piston in the second final position. A locking tube is connected to the piston and supported within the housing in an axially shiftable manner, and lockable at an end of the housing facing away from the reservoir with the aid of a locking pin.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A pressure accumulator for supporting the pressure supply of at least one consumer of an internal combustion engine, the pressure accumulator comprising:
 a housing having a housing cavity having a wall; 
 a piston axially displaceable in the housing cavity between a first final position and a second final position and provided with a pressure surface which together with the wall of the housing cavity delimits at least partially a reservoir connectable to the consumer in a fluid-conveying manner; 
 an energy store which cooperates with the piston, the piston being displaceable against the force of the energy store from the first final position into the second final position in that the reservoir is acted on by pressure using a pressure medium; and 
 a lock for locking the piston in the second final position, 
 the lock including a locking tube connected to the piston and supported within the housing in an axially shiftable manner, the locking tube being lockable at an end of the housing facing away from the reservoir with the aid of a locking pin. 
 
     
     
       2. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 1  wherein the locking tube is axially displaceably supported within a guiding tube situated coaxially in the housing cavity, the locking tube having a radial bore in which a ball is radially movably accommodated, the locking pin being axially displaceably situated at an end of the housing facing away from the reservoir against the restoring force of a restoring element, and the ball being at least partially accommodated by a receiver in the second final position in such a way that the locking pin cooperates with the ball to lock the piston. 
     
     
       3. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 1  wherein the locking tube has a plurality of radial bores distributed in the peripheral direction, in each radial bore a ball being radially movably accommodated in each case. 
     
     
       4. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a supporting element having a through borehole being introduced within the housing at the end facing away from the reservoir, the energy store being supported at the front side of the supporting element facing the reservoir. 
     
     
       5. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 4  wherein at least one axial bore is introduced into the wall of the supporting element. 
     
     
       6. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 5  wherein the bore is for pressure compensation and/or for the discharge of a pressure medium leakage. 
     
     
       7. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 2  wherein the receiver is situated in the inner jacket surface of the guiding tube. 
     
     
       8. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 7  wherein, to axially delimit the path of the guiding tube, the guiding tube has a groove having a retaining ring situated therein, the retaining ring resting axially against the supporting element. 
     
     
       9. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 2  wherein the guiding tube axially contacts the supporting element, the receiver being situated in the inner jacket surface of the supporting element. 
     
     
       10. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 2  wherein the receiver is designed as a circumferential ring groove. 
     
     
       11. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 2  wherein the locking pin is situated within an assembly sleeve, the guiding tube having axially contacted the assembly sleeve and the inner diameter of the guiding tube being widened at the end facing the assembly sleeve in such a way that the widening forms the receiver for the ball. 
     
     
       12. The pressure accumulator as recited in  claim 1  wherein the energy store includes a spring element.